PS4 UI can display in 4K, importance of GPGPU and more OS details from Mark Cerny

Mark Cerny, the lead architect for Sony’s PS4 console recently stated some interesting details about the PS4 in a Japanese interview.He reveals that even though the PS4 won’t play games in 4k resolution that the UI of the console could display in that resolution if Sony wants to do so. The reason why they aren’t going for 4k resolution in games is because it takes up a lot of bandwidth and that a 4k version of the PS4 UI would be 10GB. Cerny explains it better by saying:

Considering only purely memory bandwidth, at 4K, to ensure the display buffer of the two screens, the second requires bandwidth 10GB / simply. It also is just to display only!

Cerny also states that not all the features of the PS4 (not sure if he means those that have been revealed already or unannounced ones) will be available day one.He puts emphasis on the PS4′s GPGPU saying, “For us, GPGPU is a very important feature.” Not only that but the CPU and GPU of the PS4 use the same language and can communicate well with Cerny saying:

CPU and GPU of a different nature, because it is what it is quite difficult if you now, at this stage, using a unified language based on the architecture, such as HSA, is to increase the efficiency of
use. But if you can now use the same language and GPU CPU, the efficiency of the development will increase dramatically. That point will be very big help. I think about these parts, whether it comes to long-term goals so.

Cerny reconfirms that the PS4 plays Blu-Ray and DVD films but not audio CDs by saying:

As Blu-ray video, you can play DVD video. Does not have the ability to read about the CD. This is another story of the game compatibility.

He says that the PS4′s OS is based on BSD (something I’m admittedly not familiar with) and that this will be a first for game consoles:

OS is based on BSD. Should be the first time I used this architecture to the game machine.
Seen from the OS side, the PS4, you will be able to use a wide variety of functions simultaneously. Play from the transmission of video game play, then switch to the game as it is now, and even switch to
watch a friend’s video game play, as our goal, talking with friends about the video. Go to the store I found something good something, buy in the store, I asked a friend, “Are you OK with

this?” … And. It is that feeling like you to use while come and go freely. In multi-player games, without having to “stop” the game, while moving in the background, you can act like this.
In cooperation with OS, I can now very rich.

This is a lot of information to process. A lot of this is technical language that not all of us will understand right away.

The PS4 is shaping up nicely and every time I hear about it something new surprises me about it. Sony is really pulling all stops with the PS4 in terms of hardware at least with what they’ve shown so far.

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